My Top 10 Favourite Books of 2021

I currently have a lot of noise and thinky-thoughts in my head all to do with reading, blogging and the year that was 2021. It will take me a few more days to get those thoughts in line though, so for now let’s just focus on the 10 books that I have chosen as my favourite books of last year.

I handed out 5 stars to around 40 books last year. These 10 stood out, for various reasons. They managed to hold my attention throughout, they made me think maybe my reading slump was finally coming to an end (wrong), but more importantly, from the moment I finished them I knew they’d be on this list.

In previous years, I divided my top books into a list of series additions and one of stand-alones. I’ve done things differently this year because if you haven’t yet noticed there is also a big blogging slump happening. As is evidenced by the fact I only ever reviewed four of the ten in the first place (bad blogger). But they deserve to be mentioned so enough talking (finally).

Here are my 10 favourite books of 2021.

Fiona Cummings – When I Was Ten
Bella Ellis – The Red Monarch (review)

Laura Shepherd-Robinson – Daughters of Night
Louise Beech – This Is How We Are Human (review)

Joseph Knox – True Crime Story
Janice Hallett – The Appeal (review)

Kristen Hannah – Four Winds
DV Bishop – City of Vengeance

| And Novel Deelight’s Book of the Year award goes to ….. |

Why, yes, it’s a tie. I’ve been going back and forth on this for weeks but it’s been impossible to choose. I suspect because these are two such very different genres.

The Wolf Den …. I can’t even explain it. It’s just such incredibly well-written historical fiction and I loved every minute I got to spend with these women. I can’t wait for the sequel.

And then Project Hail Mary (review). I can explain that one even less. It’s not even a genre I tend to read but I completely fell in love with this story and the character(s). It had me hooked, it made me emotional and it made me laugh. I couldn’t possibly ask for more.

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There you have it. My ten favourite books of the year. Thank you so much to the authors who wrote them and brought such pleasure to my life. Happy 2022 to all. xx